Tribute paid to founding member of Stonehaven motor club

GEORGE TOPP was a founding member of the Stonehaven and District Motor Club.

Published:10:16Sunday 18 September 2011

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The last surviving founder member of Stonehaven and District Motor Club, George Topp, has died.

Mr Topp, who was 89, died at Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen, on Friday September 9 after a short illness.

The oldest of a family of four, he was born in Banff, where he also started his schooling. The family subsequently moved to Stonehaven, and he completed his education at Mackie Academy.

During the final years of World War Two, and as an apprentice electrician, he worked on wiring warships being built or refitted at the Hall Russell Shipyard in Aberdeen.

After completing his apprenticeship with Henderson’s of Stonehaven, Mr Topp went on to run his own business in the town for a time.

He later became north of Scotland representative for a large motor trade supplier, and some time afterwards joined a catering trade firm as their representative in the same area. Before his retirement he worked for Aberdeen based Brake Services.

He was a man of many interests, but outside of his family, motorsport and gardening were his favourite pursuits.

After helping establish Stonehaven and District Motor Club, he was a long time committee member and event organiser, running, or helping to run, motor-cycle trials, grass tracks, car rallies, autotests and other events.

After ‘retiring’ from SDMC he continued his motorsport interests by servicing on forest stage rallies for one of his sons.

He and his wife Millicent, a former Stonehaven primary teacher, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July.